Dodgers rumors about the team trying to sign Masahiro Tanaka were briefly addressed. These LA Dodgers rumors have suggested that the team is looking to add the ace pitcher to improve the rotation even further. According to a report from CBS Sports on Wednesday (Jan. 8), team general manager Ned Colletti weighed in on the situation. He stated that the franchise is in the "feeling out process" when it comes to the star pitcher from Japan.

When it comes to starting pitchers, it wouldn't seem like the team actually needs to add anyone else. Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Dan Haren make up the first four slots, with Chad Billingsley and Josh Beckett coming back from injury at some point during the 2014 MLB season. It is expected that it could be Stephen Fife that gets the call as the fifth starter until either Beckett or Billingsley gets healthy enough. Where Tanaka would fit into the scheme becomes extremely unclear.

Though these latest LA Dodgers rumors don't specifically state that the team will be trying to offer the posting fee and a contract to Masahiro Tanaka, they don't do anything to slow the talk about it either. Colletti seems to indicate that there is a scenario where the franchise would want to sign Tanaka, but it's also possible that the price tag might be too high at this point. It is likely that the answer of which team he will ultimately sign with won't come until much later in January.

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Ryan Gamble is a sports expert calling the city of Spokane home now. His publishing credits include articles about the Seattle Mariners, Spokane Shock, Spokane Indians, Gonzaga Bulldogs, Seattle Seahawks and all Washington State University sports teams. When he isn't sharing his expertise about local sports, he is either playing softball, enjoying a game in person or spending time with his family. You can follow Ryan on Twitter @spokanex or contact him through e-mail at spokanex@gmail.com.